Recruitment being done as per guidelines: SWR

Published: Tuesday, January 8, 2008, 13:11 [IST]

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Bangalore, Jan 7 (UNI) Following growing protests against alleged discrimination against the local candidates in the ongoing recruitment process for Group 'D' workers in the South Western Railway, authorities today clarified that the tests were being done strictly as per the guidelines.

"Various associations alleging discrimination or favoritism and the candidates can rest assured that there is no scope for any such thing towards any group of candidates and the entire exercise is being done in a free, fair and transparent manner," a SWR release said here today.

Pro-Kannada activists belonging to various organisations are agitating for the past five days against alleged discrimination against the Karnataka candidates and say North Indians, mostly people from Bihar, were being given preference at the cost of locals.

The month-long exercise to select more than 4700 Group 'D' workers is on in the city, at Hubli and Mysore. It had been marred by violent protests by the activists, which had led to hundreds of arrests and police lathi charge. The protests continued on the fifth day today.

The release said notification for recruitment was issued in all local and Kannada newspapers. All the applications received had been scrutinised strictly as per the eligibility criteria and notified in all eligible candidates had been issued call letters to attend physical efficiency tests (PET).

The PET had been very transparent, free and fair. To ensure transparency, the entire exercise was being videographed. Those who pass PET would undergo a written examination and evaluation was computerised with no scope for any discrimination or favouritism, the release added.